For the first time, Virginia Commonwealth University is directly paying its athletes. But how much the players are earning is mostly a mystery. Last week, the university declined a public records request to share the contracts it has signed with players, saying the records would illegally identify the students. The university also declined to say how many athletes will receive school funds and how much the university will spend per team. The only thing VCU has revealed is that it plans to spend between $4 million and $5 million this year compensating members of its athletic department – which includes almost 300 athletes – for their name, image and likeness, or NIL. The university declined to share the contracts between the school and its players or its financial documentation, citing an exemption that shields any information that identifies a student. Before a VCU athlete can receive revenue sharing payments, he or she must sign a 12-page contract, according to a sample contract obtained in the public records request. The athlete and VCU agree to keep the agreement confidential unless required otherwise by the law or NCAA rules. Speaking publicly about the deal could cause “irreparable harm.”

Three Purcellville council members have filed court documents requesting a judicial review of a vote take to set the fiscal year 2026 tax rates, after raising concerns that it was adopted without a two-thirds majority. The council adopted reduced tax rates on March 27 and the $33.1 million budget on June 17 on 4-3 votes, with council members Erin Rayner, Caleb Stought and Kevin Wright opposed. During discussions, they cited state code stating a two-thirds majority is required to impose taxes on the public. However, Town Attorney John Cafferky said that was not required when reinstating an existing tax.

A cost estimate for livestreaming meetings is on the Halifax County Board of Supervisors’ agenda for the Monday evening meeting. Several county residents at the board’s regular September meeting requested that the board consider livestreaming meetings so those unable to attend the meetings in person can remain informed about board decisions/county business. The cost estimate to livestream the board meetings as stated in the meeting agenda packet is $1,140. The price quote was provided by the Brodnax-based company Exclusive Technologies LLC. If the board of supervisors ultimately decides to livestream its business meetings, it will join two other governing bodies in Halifax County in the practice: the Halifax County School Board and the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority board of directors.

Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin on Monday said a grand jury had indicted Tavares Floyd on four counts of election fraud over campaign filings he submitted to the Virginia Department of Elections last year. Floyd faces four counts of “making willfully false statements” in his campaign finance reports. He could not be reached for comment.

Almost a fifth of federal entities that process FOIA requests are using AI and machine learning, and those “early adopters are demonstrating the ability of AI to identify sensitive information and normalizing the concept of AI in FOIA processing,” says a report. That is a “notable” number as agencies are looking to apply AI improve efficiency in searching for and retrieving records that may be responsive to FOIA requests, said the report based on responses from some 280 federal entities to a survey earlier this year on their FOIA compliance activities. It added, “Records management training for FOIA professionals, and FOIA training for records management professionals, are crucial for the effective management of government information. It is critical that agencies ensure that FOIA and records management training (both formal and informal) is regularly made available to both sets of personnel.”

As a former city councilmember, I know firsthand how vital local news reporting is to democracy. Reporters kept me honest by challenging my assumptions and — when they got the story right — validating programs I worked hard to deliver. That kind of third-party credibility is more powerful than any government press release. There’s little that local government officials can do about market forces or emerging technology. But some are finding ways to provide new and expanded venues for community voices to be heard and local issues to be debated. It’s vital that these efforts continue, because the erosion of local journalism has been staggering.